Paying It Forward Through Patient Education & Support:

Greg Macaluso

Owner/Broker, The Mac Group

In June 2020, just months into the COVID-19 pandemic, Greg's world shifted massively in another way: his daughter Penelope was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). Overwhelmed, the Macaluso family knew they would need all the help they could get.

"When your child receives a diagnosis, you go into survival mode," Greg shares. "You start to realize who the most important and supportive players are. LLS is one such amazing organization." Through LLS, Penelope's family was connected to support groups to help them process, as well as free information to help them make treatment decisions.

After three years of treatment, Penelope was declared cancer-free, and her family was determined to give back. As a 2023 candidate for Visionaries of the Year, Greg knew he wanted to focus on Patient Education & Support. A strong community kept Penelope and their family going during her treatment, and he wanted to show other patients and families that they aren't alone.

His favorite campaign highlight? Penelope got to toss out the first pitch of a Charlotte Knights game raise awareness for LLS. "[We are] full of emotion and gratitude," Greg says. "We had to pay that forward."

Staying Focused on Policy & Advocacy:

Jeff Saper

Chief Information Officer, Gibson Dunn & Crutcher

Jeff knows the devastation of cancer more intimately than most. He himself is a survivor of hairy-cell leukemia, his daughter Jenna of thyroid cancer, and Jeff's son Riley passed from acute myeloid leukemia at 13 years old.

Since that unfathomable loss, Jeff has dedicated himself to raising awareness for blood cancer—especially through advocacy. "I was lucky to have excellent insurance to afford care for my children and me," Jeff recalls, "and did not have the financial constraints that too many [patients and their families] have."

His Visionaries of the Year campaign focused on expanding access to healthcare, including clinical trials—which can change, if not save, a patient's life. As the leader of the LLS Office of Public Policy in New York State, he knows firsthand that fairer healthcare laws have a big impact on people facing blood cancer.

"I was able to take my perspective [as a survivor]," Jeff says, "and focus on the end result." That result? Helping patients get life-changing treatment.

Changing What's Possible with Research:

Hiba Alnajjar

Pre-Med Student; UCLA Alumna

As a fourth grader sitting in on a special school assembly, Hiba had no idea she was about to start changing lives. That day, she heard from LLS representatives about ways to give back to those affected by blood cancer, and from pediatric cancer patients her own age. "[The patients] reminded me so much of my friends, my heart broke," Hiba shares, "but soon, my heartbreak turned into newfound motivation."

That was just the beginning of her journey with LLS. She continues to champion blood cancer patients as a college student, helping to lead the LLS On Campus initiative at UCLA. As co-president of the LLS Club, she helped multiple Visionaries of the Year meet their goals. And in 2023, it was her turn. Hiba chose Research as her LLS mission pillar of focus, hosting campus events including a health fair and leveraging community connections to raise awareness for blood cancer research.

During her campaign, Hiba was also working in a lab studying pediatric acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) for her degree in molecular biology—getting up close and personal with her passion for research. Now, as she applies to medical school, she's taking that passion further, hoping to be part of new cures for the patients who need them.

Hiba has dedicated her young life to helping others—and she's poised to keep changing lives.